


A Rabbit Hole in New York

by sketzocase



Category: Dark Wolverine (Comics), Fantastic Four (Comicverse), X-23 (Comic), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Alice in Wonderland References, Canon-Typical Violence, Daken as a rough time, F/M, I like New York, I swear, Kinda based on the Zenescope Idea of Wonderland, M/M, Madness, Original Characters - Freeform, There's no cannon here, background death I guess, death for a lot of people who aren't important, pure madness, very very loosely based, well maybe a little cannon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-11-02 05:20:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10937826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sketzocase/pseuds/sketzocase
Summary: Face it- New York was pretty crazy to begin with. Add in a King, a strain of crazy a mile wide, and a few dozen carnivorous creatures ripping through the city- stir thoroughly, let simmer for thirty minutes and enjoy the chaos.





	1. Johnny- New York

**Author's Note:**

> This is a revamp of an old story I had up for only a few weeks.   
> The Idea of Wonderland is based more on Zenescope's run of Alice in wonderland. And while I'm a die hard marvel fangirl- it's a really cool and weird series. The drawings are a little sexist- even for comic books- but the stories good. I suggest everyone go check it out! 
> 
> Alice in Wonderland is one of my most favorite things on the planet. Second to comic books. I've been trying to successfully merge the two for years. So yea. Here we go. 
> 
> Let me know what you think.   
> There may be some sensitive material ahead- I'm not sure. But as always- I will put the warnings up here. So keep an eye out!

_‘In a land far, far, away, lies heroes in need of rescuing. At their darkest hour, at our queen’s behest, we cordially invite them to our court.’ – story teller_

* * *

 

 

“I love you.” She’s tearful. Hell- I’m tearful. In fact, every single human sound that can be heard as we lay here in the street- is tearful. All of New York is sobbing in one singular utterly humanizing moment.

It’s by far the most ‘human’ thing that’s happened today- that’s for sure. 

She’s told me she’s loved me many times over the years. When mom died. When things with dad got bad. After I did something stupid and she’d run me through the ringer. 

Her saying ‘I love you’ is normal. 

It’s never held as much weight to it as it does today- though. It feels so… final. Like she’s saying it for the last time.  

Knowing that there's nothing I can do, I let her rest her head on my dislocated shoulder. “I love you too, sis.” I can’t move this arm. The other one is broken in about four places- also proving to be worthless. My last flight- before I was winged down- there was a total of six missing city blocks. Gone. Sucked into god knows where. That's the portal that took a good bit of the heroes that were left on that side of the city. I hate to think what happened to them- really. But part of me was really pissed off that they weren't able to help more.

When this started five hours ago- god has it only been hours?- we pulled together. We fought it off as best we could.... but these portals- these portals just kept opening. Dropping things we couldn't even begin to describe into the busy city streets. Sue tried telling people to stay in their homes... but that didn't stop the creatures. Some could phase through the walls... some were melting them with god knows what- they destroyed entire families in minutes. In most cases- literally eating them. 'Devouring' is what Reed would say in his useless science speak.

This part of the city- the one we're in now- was not our 'assigned' section. This was... Ironman's I think. But Tony took about twenty spears to the back and chest.... they went straight through the armor. I saw it. I still can't get over it... nothing should be able to do that. Why were they able to do that? Why has any of this happened? It's.. not possible. None of this should be possible.

I hope he’s alive. I heard someone that sounded like him a while back. If he is- he’s gonna need a medic. With all the destruction though- I don’t think we have any to send. 

He’s not even the only hero to have been snuffed out. The other probably need medics too.  

I think Scarlet Witch was taken out within the first hour of the attack. It’s like they had a grudge against her. God only knows why. But the fuckers went after her in waves. There’s no way she could fight all of them off. 

And there was no possible way for us to save the people and get to her. We had to choose. And we’re heroes. Heroes save people for a living. 

And we couldn’t save one of our own. It’s a shitty situation.

If I live- And I don’t think I will- I’ll remember her screaming for years to come. 

It wasn’t scared. That’s what’s memorable about it. Wanda wasn’t scared. She was pissed. Not at us- no. But at the creatures who dared to invade her home. 

Her screams quieted after a while and the creatures ran off. I can only imagine what they did to her.  

I went down about an hour ago. One of the goblin looking fuckers soaked me mid flight. I crashed hard enough to knock myself out on impact. When I came to, Sue was fighting them off... but she took a hit hard enough to land her beside me- the damn thing nearly decapitated her. It was going to take her head clean off- The only reason it didn't was because of the fucking flame tornado I threw up between them. Even then it tried to break through the fire. I had to put as much heat and much force as I could muster just to keep it off of her. In the end, she gave it a blast from her own powers.

The creatures should have finished the job... but they didn't. They got distracted by the sounds of someone screaming.... I guess it was more interesting than us. I shot the hell out of them when they ran off- but it only made them angry. We got into round two- and they decided it would be better off if I couldn't use my arms. Hence the dislocation and the breakage. I'm lucky- ha. funny word to use- that they didn't take the entire thing off. For a second I thought the bastard wasn't going to let go. He just kept crunching my bones. I even lit my arm on fire- he held on for way longer than he should have been able to.

I kiss the back of her head. Her hairs matted with blood and what I’m hoping is mud and not what flew up from the sewers when they exploded. That happened around the second wave- bigger creatures than the first- wrecked shit and crawled into the sewers. If anyone survives this- if people managed to get out- the city's going to be wrecked beyond repair.

“I would never let anything happen to you.” Sue hiccups close to my ear. Her voice sounds weak. God I hate how weak it sounds.

“I know.” More tears. I can’t do anything. My powers are exhausted. I’m exhausted.

My body.... I’m more cuts and broken bones than anything at the moment. I literally have a bone coming through my skin. I can see it glinting in the lights of the several fires in the street. Ones I didn't set- if anyone is still keeping a record.

... Ben would be keeping a record.

We have no idea where Reed or Ben got to. Our tower literally pulled itself into two equal pieces and imploded. Who knows how many casualties there were from that alone. We couldn't save the people fast enough.

We have no idea where Val and Franklin got to either. What part of the building they were in. 

It’s quite possible that Franklin’s powers could have saved them…. but we can’t find them. There were too many people screaming. 

The buildings started collapsing. People are still trapped- slowly suffocating or being crushed. 

These portals with the creatures though- that’s going to be the death toll right there. They were merciless.

At one point I saw us, Avengers, and X-men all fighting at the same time. It was pointless. They.... Their moves.... They didn’t make sense. They defied every law of logic- I guess, I mean what do I know- there was.

“I’m sorry-“

“Don’t start.” I insist this with as much force as I can. “Don’t.” I sound just about as weak as she does.

Sue hiccups again. “It’s got them. All of them. We’ve failed.” I feel a tear drip down my face. All of our missions have not prepared us for this... this... destruction. 

“I know we did.”

Sue buries her face as much as she can. “We’re dying. This is how we die.”

My shoulder is wet from her tears. “Maybe not,” I answer, voice hoarse. “We’re still here.” We won't be for long... but I don't want my sister's final moments to be like this. I want her to have hope. I want her to be at peace in as much of a way as possible.

“And?”

“And-” I prompt. “If we’re still here- then maybe some of the others- “

“I didn’t tell him that I loved him.” She sobs suddenly. “I didn’t even think to.” She's dying over not being able to look for Reed.... we haven't seen him. Or Ben. They're gone. I know Ben could probably survive the rubble falling on him... but not so sure about Reed. I don't bring it up because I know Sue's over there running through every worst case scenario possible.

“The last thing I said to the kids was angry.” She hiccups. 

She is in hell. I’m sure of it. 

Our home- our family- we’re all that’s left. And at the rate we’re going? We won’t be left for very much longer. 

The thought of my teammates- that draws another tear filled sob from me. Here I am at the end.. and I just can't stop sobbing.

I’d call it a hit to my man card… but in the wake of the insanity the city's been thrown into- I know I’m not the only man crying.   
  
I’ve heard it all today. Screaming, crying, pleading, praying, yelling wordlessly into the sky- all of it. Men and women alike. 

Maybe I should watch it. I am a hero. If there are people out there- people hanging on- I need to give them hope.   
  
Like I’m trying to give Sue.   
She needs hope.   
I want her last moments to be peaceful.   
  
I’m not religious. Neither is she. I don’t know what happens next- even though I’ve technically died before. I don’t know if this is the last time I’ll see her. 

In that train of thought- I’m at least glad that we’re together. 

That was her idea.   
She lost Reed, Ben, and the kids- and couldn’t stand the thought of us being separated. That’s my big sister. Looking after me from day one right until the very end. 

Sue turns her head as much as she can.... There’s a jagged wound decorating her neck- dried blood pancaked on like some shitty horror movie makeup. Think ‘Saw' but not the first one- one of the shittier ones. Her sobs make it seep more and more blood onto her almost exposed chest.

I don’t know what’s worse- the fact that it got her neck so badly or the fact that it was aiming for her heart.

If it had hit were it intended- if I hadn’t stopped it- she’d be dead. 

I mean I know she’s dying- slowly at that. But I’m selfish. I’m not ready for her to be gone. 

Part of me hopes I die first. 

It doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen though. 

The portal over us grows in size- through it we see a haze of somewhere... somewhere else.

That somewhere else that he was trying to tell me about. Night after night- waking up from his sleep. ‘Johnny look. Look.’ He drew me maps. He told me about the creatures. He told me about the landscapes. I can even see one he drew for me.’Johnny please- please look. It’s here. It’s there- I mean there. Look. I have a map.’ 

That was a fight. 

He started to see this I don’t know- fairy tale shit. Night after night. He said someone was spying on him through his mirror. That at night he could see them- in another place.

He told me stories the man in his mirror ‘told him’. 

Things that were so off the wall that they couldn’t have possibly been true. 

It had to do with one book.   
Wonderland- he called it. 

I even went as far to call him ‘Alice’ in one of our arguments. I thought it was clever. It hurt him though- I didn’t mean for it to sting like it did. 

He knew I didn’t believe him. He turned himself into a laughing stock. Everyone knew about his little ‘problem’. It was very public. Others flat out teased him- and it pissed him off.   
I know it did. 

Eventually, it left him kinda ostracized. He felt like he was alone wherever he went. 

I had him locked away. I was talking to a top psychiatrist over it. She begged me to give him to her... and I did. I don’t know why- but I did. She was an old woman and she swore she knew best.... And I just trusted her.

I... I trusted her without a second thought. That’s weird. I know that now. But it made so much sense... all up until this morning. This morning I felt the first pang of guilt and sorrow- everything set in. I knew... I just knew... that something bad had happened. That I'd let something bad happen.

They wouldn’t even give me the body. By the time I got the message they said “For the sake of the other patients, we removed it already. We’ll send you the remains after cremation.” 

No funeral. 

It’s weird. I didn’t think anything of it. 

Not until today. 

Why didn’t I think anything of it? 

Sue’s breathing gets troubled with her tears. “We’ve survived so much.”

I nod, looking over the remains of what used to be a busy street.

To the left of the road, the sidewalk and accompanying buildings have been engulfed in vines in ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ like portions. Thank god there was no giant. At the rate that this portal spat out all these fucking nightmares- I was sure there would be a giant.

“Did you get to say goodbye?” Her voice is frail. I know there’s a confirmed wound on her neck- but I’m starting to think she took a hit that I didn’t see. If my arms hadn’t been broken and torn to hell- I’d try to cauterize the wounds.

I can’t get my powers to work. My finger tips will let out steam every now and then when I try… but I’m too exhausted. 

“Well?”

Did I say goodbye? I haven’t told her. I haven’t... how could I? We were hit from all sides.

“No.” Tears sting my eyes. “No, I didn’t.”

Because we were fighting. Because I wouldn’t believe him- about this. About exactly what I’m looking at right now.

Because he's not here anymore. Because he was suffering and I did nothing to help him.

“Do you think.... That he knows? We were all so hard on him…. and he was right. He must feel terrible. Anxious. Trapped.”

This time I sob louder. “He’s dead.” My confession as we sit here watching the world end. Here you go, sis. My own dark secret. The thing that's kept me awake the past two weeks sobbing into my pillow.

Sue lifts her head from my shoulder. “What?”

Tears flow freely down my face now, as I stare into the portal. I can’t face her.  I’m glad for that. “The hospital called two weeks ago.” I end up hiccuping. “He hung himself.”

With a bed sheet. I saw the room they kept him in. I thought it was safe. 

He was so… disturbed. 

But then- he wasn’t. 

He was just talking about this. What I’m looking at now. 

He wasn’t violent- well violent-er than usual. He was depressed because no one would listen to him… because he was being mocked….. but other than that- he was fine. 

I only locked him away when he tried to involve the Avengers. I mean… enough was enough. I didn’t want to play with him in his little ‘make believe’ world. The one with the creatures and the castles and the odd people. 

There was a man. He drew him several times. The “King of Hearts”. I told him he was crazy. Our last conversation was me telling him he was crazy. 

I didn’t even get to say ‘I love you’. He got so upset that they removed him. Tied him to the bed. Kicked me out. 

“He’ll be fine’ they told me. ‘Just a little meltdown. In his condition that’s to be expected’. 

But looking at this? Right now? 

He wasn’t crazy. 

He wasn’t sick. 

He was… right. 

Daken was right. 

About everything. 

I wish the hospital had sent back some of his things. Drawings would come in handy now. 

Daken was quite talented. 

A few times I tried to focus on that when he was showing me. 

Like “baby these are good.” So good. “Why don’t you draw something else? We could sell these. Baby look out talented you are. See? You don’t need to draw all this scary shit. Draw something else. Something nice. You’ve got the talent- look how good these are.” He was so pissed at me about that. 

I thought he was just in a ‘mood’. 

That’s what they called it. A ‘mood’. 

Now…. fuck. I can’t help but think that someone must have known something. Maybe his death wasn’t a suicide. Maybe someone had to stop him from warning us…. 

The last thing he said to me… as they were dragging him way. “Why won’t you just believe me??” He was… crying. He was so upset. 

“.... No.” 

I nod.

“And... but she- “

Another sore topic as of late. 

“I know. In the same day.” Same fucking day. Five hours apart. I get the first call... five hours later Sue gets the second without knowing about the first.

She lays her head back. “A whole family... wiped out.”

“Ya...”  
My shoulder stings from her weight- but I don’t make her move. 

“If Logan were here...”She trails off.

That makes me giggle. The very thought of it. “I don’t think he could have done anything about this.” The giggle turns hysterical. “Wolverine was good- but he’s wasn’t this good.”

“He would have at least found her body. Don’t you think it was weird that we didn’t bury the body?”

I nod. Weird. That's one way to put it. 

“Did they give you his?”

“No…. they said they were cremating him and never answered my calls when I asked about a date.”

Sue coughs up blood onto my uniform. “Logan would have gotten the bodies back.”

The sky get’s dark.

And I’m just thinking. He would have- wouldn’t he? He wouldn’t have let his son be burned in some hospitals furnace…. Or his ‘daughter’. No matter what had happened- he would have retrieved those bodies.

Why didn’t I think it was weird? Why didn’t I notice that they both died, the same exact way, on the same exact day??? Why is this only making sense to me now- at the end?

Sue sighs. “We’re dying.” She says as the sky continues to darken. 

“No- “

Sue shakes her head. “Johnny- no. I’ve never lied to you. We’re dying.”

I look at how pale she is. I feel my own blood loss. “We’re dying.” I agree. She nods. 

“New York is a fairy tale fueled nightmare.”  
  
“New York is a fairy tale fueled nightmare,” I repeat

“Our loved ones are dead or dying.”

“Our loved ones are dead or dying.”

Sue swallows. “Our city is dead or dying.”

I can’t repeat that one for her. But I can hear it. God can I hear it. The screams that die off into mere whimpers... the sounds of buildings straining and then collapsing in on themselves. In the distance the sounds of the last wave of creatures reeking havoc....

“The portal is...”

I look up to see why she’s trailed off... the portal above us has gone completely white. You can’t see that other place anymore.

“Something’s happening.” She says in a whisper. God this is it.

“Creatures?” I offer. 

She sighs. “Maybe.”

The last wave left us like this.... Mere feet from the portal. They left us for the next wave to devour- I'm sure of it. Literally devour. The last thing that came out was an alligator. A giant.. alligator. It snapped a man in half before I could tell the dumbass to step away.

That... alligator though... the creature itself... I find myself giggling. “Johnny?” Sue keeps her eyes on the portal.

“The alligator.” I giggle.

“...ya?”

“It was a giant alligator.... and it went into the sewers.”

Sue coughs more blood but chuckles wetly. “New York sewer gators.” She wheezes. 

“You made Reed scientifically settle that argument between me and Ben.” I feel sick to my stomach. “Remember?”

Sue’s quiet.

 “Sue?”

The portal makes a small popping noise- like it did last time. In the middle of the white, a shadowy figure emerges. It forms in the center and then something- no someone- falls onto the pavement.

The woman on the ground is in the most ridiculously out of place costume I could imagine. It’s more of a bra than a top- a black leather bra, matched with an obscenely short skirt... nice legs- nice... hell nice everything. her long black hair is piled up messily on top of her head... and I think I know her. Part of it may be the blood loss... but I've seen her before.

I get a good look as the woman picks herself up off the cement and walks towards us.

I close my eyes, feeling a hand on my face a few seconds later.

"Open your eyes... I'm checking you for a concussion."

"My sisters hurt." I try to bargain while keeping them shut. "Take a look at her first."

"I'll need your help with your sister- open your eyes so I can look at you."

Well, I've really got nothing else to lose... When I open them- Laura- Daken's Laura. Dead, dead, Hung herself, Laura- bends down in front of me. “Hello, Johnny . I'm glad I found you so easily.”

I look at Sue- who’s passed out, lips parted and pale from the amount of blood she’s lost. Laura follows my gaze and moves over to my sister.

“You’re dead.” I can’t help but gape. And side note- feel completely guilty about checking Daken’s ‘sister’ out....

But hey. I’ve lost a lot of blood here.

“Not quite.” She looks over Sue- taking her pulse.

“.... New York-“ How do I explain? 

“I see it.”

“The portal- “

“I’ve been there.” X gives me a smile. “I’m going to help you, Johnny. Trust me.”

I swallow spit and blood. “The last thing that came out of that portal was a giant alligator. It literally ate twenty people in front of me.”

X stops, turning to look at me. “That is unfortunate.” Her lips press into a tight line. 

“Yea...”Sue’s gone completely still. “Is she dead?” I feel more tears on my face.  
“Not quite.” She says again. “I’ve got to get her out of here.”

I painfully move my dislocated arm as much as I can, to cover my sister. “How can I trust you?” 

“Do I look like a giant alligator, Johnny?” Laura says, smiling a little.

“...No?” I offer. Because fuck this is confusing.

“Right. Then if that's what you're worried about- you're in no danger.” I can’t help but look at her neck. She’s so close to me- I have to see.

 She stares at me blankly. “It didn’t leave a mark.”

“...You healed?”

She shakes her head. “No.” She looks back to Sue. “I didn’t have anything to ‘heal’ from. I never died.”

My mind can barely form the next question. “......did he?” Her lips press into that tight line again

. “...”  
“Well?” I plead

Laura looks at me with a calculating look and then shakes her head. “No. No from what I can tell and what he's told me, he never died either.”

“And he’s with you?” I start to try to move, but she presses me to the ground. 

“Yes and no. Please hold still.”  
“Is he... is he angry with me?” I feel tearful again.  
Laura shakes her head. “Not at all. He sent me to get help.... Your help.” 

“My team-” Things are getting a little blurry.

“Everything is going to be fine.” She presses her hand somewhere low on Sue’s side- somewhere I can't see.

“I don’t think you understand- “

“You’ve got a bone coming through your skin.” She assesses. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. Let me do the thinking here- alright? You're not going to come up with anything rational.”

“Laura- “

“Can you stand Johnny?”

That makes me go quiet. “Stand?”

“We have to move.” She says with a nod. “Now.”

“Where?” I scoff. “Look at the sky! Look at the fucking portal- “

She raises an eyebrow.

I look over at the glowing white tear in reality itself. “NO.”

Laura nods. “It’s the only way.”

“No. You do not go inside portals that spit out fairy tale creatures.” I try to sound serious but it comes out just a tad hysterical.

Laura lifts Sue into her arms as if she weighed nothing.  
“That’s where your sister’s going.” She informs. “That’s where your team is.”

 “....my team?”

She nods. "Along with several city blocks who are in dire need of assistance.” 

"I can't... I can't go in there."

She looks me in the eyes. “That’s where Daken is.”  
  
That’s like getting punched in the gut. “I owe him so many apologies,” I whisper. 

She nods. “Yes. You do. Having him institutionalized for warning you about this is something that betrays the trust.”

  
I betrayed him. I let him go. And he’s in there? Alone? Is he alone? He’s bound to be alone. Or worse- with one of these creatures. Maybe he’s stuck in some massive fight- that’s why he’s reaching out to me. He needs my help.“How long until I will be able to see him?”

She bends down with Sue still in her arms, using her hand to help me up by means of hooking under my right arm and pulling.

It hurts like hell and draws a loud scream from me.

“You’re closer with each step you take to that portal.” She says softly. "I apologize for the arm."

My head is light and my vision is swimming, but I stumble to the portal. “What’s the portal lead to?”

Laura Joins me with Sue cradled in her arms. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” “.... Try me.” I sound weak.

Laura looks me over critically. “Healing you will be easier once you’re through the portal. Please- you have to move.”

“What’s behind the portal?” I demand this time.

Laura takes a few steps towards it, looking back over her shoulder at me. “How familiar are you with children’s stories, Johnny?”

I swallow blood again. I think I’ve knocked a tooth loose. “I know a few.”

She nods. “Stories are based in some form of fact- you know.”

“Is it even a portal?” I’m standing with her at it now, I can feel the air vibrating around it. The colors have shifted back to green and blue- a blurry outline of some kind of forest. 

I see no creatures. 

She looks at me with that calculating look from before. “You could see it as that.”

“What do you see it as?”

She adjusts Sue in her arms and puts a foot in the portal, turning back halfway through. “It’s a rabbit hole.” And she’s gone.

I have a few seconds to think about not going with her. But if I stay here- I’ll die. She said she could heal me- I need to go....

I don’t so much as walk into the portal as fall through it. Face first.

What a way to go. 

 

 


	2. Daken- The King of Hearts Castle

In the kingdom of hearts lies a beloved king and his newest queen. The couple takes audience with guests from afar- Much to the queen’s dismay.’ – story teller

 

Approximately every twenty minutes his ‘highness’ makes an obscene joke or leers at me. He’s talked about my body, he’s talked about my size, he’s made obscene hand gestures in every way he can manage- the whole nine yards. I could vomit. If I were to actually eat any of this disgusting syrupy mess he calls food- at any rate. It’s like being with a 14-year-old. Definitely not the ‘regal’ majesty he presents himself to be in front of his subjects.

He wants them to know how tight I am. How big I am. How toned I am. How my hair smells. What positions I like. How many times I can ejaculate in whatever arbitrary time period he’s set up. How flexible I am. If I prefer the lights on. If I prefer the lights off. If I cuddle afterward- that one makes me gag. What kind of lube he can use on me. If I have any kinks. Etcetera etcetera. 

He tells these wild tales that make me cringe.   
He makes it sound like I have this intense craving for him that he has to do his ‘Kingly duty’ and satisfy. 

Ever night for the last two weeks he’s been ‘satisfying’ that craving. 

I’m getting very little sleep. Which pisses me off. 

And he talks. Fuck does he talk. 

It’s all “Look here baby. Look there baby. Lift your ass. Look at yourself. Kiss me? You know you want to kiss me. You like to kiss when we fuck.” 

I do not like kissing while fucking. I think it distracts from what’s going on. It makes some sort of connection. I don’t like connections. 

We sit at a large banquet table with more chairs than people, in a large sparsely lit dining hall, in a large sparsely lit castle. The colors of the castle are black and red- everything in the castle is draped in them and the preferred geometric shape that I’ve come to loathe.

The floors are white stone- possibly something else. I know the ‘stones’ in the bathrooms of his highness’ chambers are not stones. It’s more like carpet pretending to be stones.

That’s right. The carpet. Pretending.

The carpet has a mind of its own enough to pretend to be something it’s not.

Why? Why?

It doesn’t matter. It’s like asking ‘why is water wet’. Here- it just makes sense not to make sense.

Why is the carpet pretending to be something it’s not- Fuck if I know. But hey- You can ask it if it’s in the mood to talk to you.

His servant told me that. I tried once- but it (the carpet) told me to go fuck myself. Honestly- despite all my years of molding and training- in that moment, I turned heel and exited the room. I had nothing to say to the madness that was the carpet talking to me.

I’m starting to suspect it’s a shape shifter that’s taken the form of an object. And I’m suspecting that if there was one in the bathrooms- there’s probably more around the house. This makes me feel better than actually thinking that the inanimate objects were talking to me.

Majesty doesn’t think my questions important enough to answer. In fact, he looks at me and says ‘how odd’.

Odd. Me.  
The floor is talking- and I’m odd.

The windows in this large dining hall catch my eye, which is much better than waiting for his next move. There large enough to almost entirely take up the wall that holds them with clear glass almost all the way up- when the glass reaches the very top of the window it turns into a stained glass mosaic of a heart.

The window overlooks a row of hedges that form a massive labyrinth in the back of the castle. It's taller than any maze I've ever seen. It must be at least 20 feet high. I know the first half of that maze- I ran it the other night trying to escape.

Note the ‘trying’. Obviously, I am still here.  
And that... well, that’s another topic much like the floors in the way of nonsense. And shock- I guess I should say. No- no mainly nonsense.  
His highness swears that my face was priceless.

I escaped the bedroom by means of suffocating my King and ran down all these hallways and corridors, found the door, pried it open- which was hard due to the factor of the missing arm , made it all the way to the middle of said maze- all keeping an abnormal amount of calm so as not to faint- and.... It just didn’t make sense. My brain couldn’t tell me what I was looking at. I ended up on my ass, just laughing.

Laughing because I didn’t know what else to do! There was no other stored response for me to have!

In the maze... well.... I suppose there are a lot of safety measures in that thing but in the center... There is a giant... card person?

An eight of clubs- to be exact. Large- unbreakable skin- large sword in hand. A creature with a head like a human's with arms and legs like a human but it’s torso looks like a playing card.

I’m in the middle of the maze, and I turn around and the fucker is just standing there... and I just started laughing- like I said. Because it was ridiculous. Because up is down and down is backward and if you go onto the front lawn you can literally see a pig fly. Because I literally feel myself go insane at least four times and day.

The card man literally picked me up with one hand and walked over the hedge maze. Three steps. Done. My hour of work meaning nothing in the span of ten seconds. He takes these giants steps and sets me back down at his highness’ feet- who had been waiting on the castle steps for me.

That was escape attempt number twelve.

The escape attempts have led to our loving ‘King’ to get creative. He likes to make sure I don’t know where I am... which I find more vexing than annoying.

I have no mapping of the castle now. This is because when I was sleeping- which I try to do as infrequently as possible- he changed it. That’s right. He had the power to shift the walls and hallways while I was sleeping.

Now everywhere I go I have to be accompanied by an escort. So I don’t get ‘lost’.

This room, however, not knowing my location is not because of being lost. I don’t know my position in this particular instance because I was unconscious when I came in.

Not through means violence- no. I didn’t fight myself into it. I’m not being tortured. I’m not being abused.

No.  
He doesn’t beat me. He doesn’t punish me with cruelty. It’s worse than that.

He’s injected me with something... some kind of poison. Anytime my heart rate gets above an ‘appropriate’ level- I black out. He says this makes it look like I’m ‘delicate’ in front of his subjects. In other words- He makes me faint. Just like that. Fighting? No. Arguing? Nope. And don’t even think about strenuous exercise. Sex is almost impossible.

That’s more his problem than mine though- isn’t it?

It always brings a pang of guilt when I think about it. It’s not rape. I mean- it’s too pathetic to be. I do it willingly out of duty of the position I've been placed in. I have to go along with the cards I’ve been dealt... and that means sleeping with the King. Which I’m certain Johnny would understand....

If I ever see him again.

If he survives. God, I hope she finds him. Before it’s too late. 

I’m allowed to have guests of my own- they’re even allowed to be in my chambers. But I’m not allowed to so much as touch them. In any shape or form. This leads to no punishment on my behalf because the King seems to have a raging erection for me- but it will lead to my guests being beheaded.

The storybook- The one that this place was barely glimpsed in- it had a Queen who beheaded her victims with great glee. And frequency.

Turns out she’s the great great, great- however many greats- grandmother of the King. Needless to say, the beheadings are sort of a family tradition.

All of this I learned from my ‘escort’. A woman who is older than anyone I’ve ever seen. Yet sharp as a tack. Oddly enough, she took the form of the head psychiatrist at the hospital. She was there the whole time. She has the power to order me about.... And then the actual power to back it up. I stabbed her once- when I first got here- and my claws dissolved. It took days for them to grow back. She says my station calls for elegance. That I can’t run around slashing things like an animal.

I am not an animal. I have never been an animal.  
She says ‘elegant’. The King, however, sticks to ‘delicate’ because he knows it pisses me the fuck off.

I tried to show him just how un-delicate I was by taking his head. I got a good portion of it done before passing out.

But- lucky me- he had a healing factor. Everyone in this place has a healing factor.

When I woke up there was laughter. He laughed, the woman laughed, the fucking floor laughed- everyone had a great time.

Everyone but me.  
Because fuck all of this fucking bullshit- I want to go home.

I don’t care that they’re trying to bring New York into their little fantasy world. Well... I guess that's not entirely true. I don't particularly want to see this madness take over the world.

If I leave now, there might be some of New York to go back to. Maybe. 

I guess I don’t want the madness to spread. Or any more creatures to be unleashed. 

But I do want to go home to MY people and leave. And keep leaving. Maybe even go to space.

Anywhere away from this madness.

The sun is going down over the maze, its beams through the window drawing my attention back to where his ‘majesty’ is eating his meal. The man... is a little more handsome than average. Not Johnny handsome- but handsome. He wears expensive suits that he routinely gets from earth. And- strangely enough- seems to model his style after Tony Stark.

I’ve frequently asked why- if he loved the look of Tony Stark so much- he didn’t kidnap HIM. He says Stark’s mind would collapse after a few days here- rendering him useless to his majesty.

Makes for an awkward man-crush, if you ask me. I know he was 'upset' when he saw what happened to the man back in New York.

He's been viewing the mess through his looking glass all morning. I only know because he's had me glued to his side, telling me his plans for the massive property he's just 'claimed'. It made me sick to my stomach.

I look at the King cautiously. He's been babbling on about some sort of nonsense to his two guests- but the babbling hasn't included me thus far. It’s been approximately ten minutes since his last joke which he intended to make me very uncomfortable in front of his guests with.

At this rate, we might as well fuck on the table in front of them. If he honestly thinks I give a fuck about them knowing what goes on his demented little bedroom- he is mistaken.

I know his guests aren't from earth- they sound like they are, they look like they are, but their minds are too... intact. Madness runs strong here- but no brand is as strong as humans who are dropped here. Most people who come from earth here are too shocked. Too unsettled. They cry and they moan. They wallow in their self-pity- and that's when it gets them. Their minds are gone within the first month.

I knew I was headed for this mess about four moths ago.

I started dreaming about it.   
About him.   
He started to talk to me through my mirror. 

His ‘herald’ came to me in the hospital.... Preparing me for him. It was the same woman who talked Johnny into handing me over to her. The head psychiatrist. They taught me 'lessons'. Geology lessons. Lessons about the culture. .... lessons about the King and his preferences in all things. The bedroom especially.

They all laughed at me. All of them.   
I gave them maps. I gave them intel. I told them about the different creatures. I documented everything I saw….. and the woman congratulated me when I was committed. As soon as we were alone. I was strapped to a chair and she puts her hands on my shoulders and leans in my ear. “Aren’t you a lucky boy.” She whispered. “Getting to know all about your new home. You’ll love it. A little time spent here to make sure you’re compliant… that Majesty still wants you….” she paused. “And he does want you, my dear. Won’t you be a prize?” 

I gathered that something was going to happen from this alone. Something big- at that. This man- this ‘King-’ was even brought in to see me. He inspected me like you would livestock. And I wanted him dead on the spot. Over and over he came to see me. It was like some sick sort of dating.

He’d bring in food, expensive things for me that I wasn’t allowed to have... moments of sweet privacy where the security cameras couldn’t see me....

Because thanks to his highness- I was in maximum security at a state mental health clinic.

A wonderful nod to all those mother fuckers who refused to listen to me. Enjoy your own little slice of madness. Maybe you’ll think twice before restraining someone next time.

I think the reason I haven't lost it is that I anticipated coming here. They fucking told me I was coming here. Fine. I adjusted to it. Whatever.

At one point they even brought in decorating sketches for my 'chambers'. One of their top 'designers' visits me well past visiting hours and proceeds to talk for THREE hours. And yet- the doctors wouldn't believe me when I told them. I got put on an IV drip for two days.

“Do you still think someone came to see you?” They would ask. 

Eventually, I started to lie. 

Coming here was sort of a relief in one small way- it proved I wasn't crazy. Now everyone involved knows that I'm not crazy.

Fuck them for not listening. 

I could have prepared them. I tried to prepare them. 

We could have been ready. 

But no. I was ‘crazy’. ‘Unhinged’. 

Even Johnny didn’t believe me. 

I anticipated coming here, I knew the lessons, I knew the facts.... I had all of that down the day they came and took me. I did not- however- anticipate that I would be on the side of the politics that I ended up on. They left that little bit out.

The dating really should have tipped me off. But somehow, when I got here the first night- I didn’t see it coming.

It- like everything else in this dimension- makes no sense.

A few nights after I got here he said he had a present for me. I told him to fuck himself, but he insisted I see it.

It turned out to be Laura. For me. A person.. for me.  
She’s... and I hate to say it because it’s stupid and horrifically childish- my hatter.

I told him a didn’t need a hatter. I don’t wear hats that often. I especially didn’t want to wear any hats that were made for me here. 

He told me it was title- not an occupation. He assured me that she was to be my servant. My closest servant. 

Because I am involved with a King. Which makes me.... Royalty associated with that geometric shape in the forms and context of a children’s book that I never read because there was no Japanese equivalent.

The book is in the library- in fact, there are hundreds of copies in the library. All mostly stolen from earth. A few were ‘gifted’ he says, by the author to one of his ancestors.

Upon receiving my hatter- I sent her to find Johnny. I said, officially, find anyone who could help- but I really stressed the Johnny part. Bring him to me and we can solve this mess out together- and he’ll laugh at the stupid shit the King does, and I’ll tell him about all the fucked up shit that’s here, and we’ll leave. Together.

He’ll believe me. He’ll finally believe me. 

And he’ll hold me… like he does when we make up. And I’ll go home. Maybe to a different city since I don’t know what will be left of New York. 

I’ve been looking for an escape myself for a while now- but I heard something I couldn’t sit by and let happen. He’s planning on joining this place with earth. Well- not all of earth. Not at first. He wants New York. Because it’s ‘exciting and a step up from madness’. His wording.

I overheard his plan and I sent her to get help- because fuck him. This place is bad enough. I won’t have any more of the people I care about being subjected to it.

I’ve seen the work he and his ‘followers’ have set into motion.

The giant ass portal that’s taken up the entire sky- really what was he thinking?? He can’t control who uses that! Everyone and their fucking grandmother is using it to get to the other side- and most of these idiots don’t even know what ‘the other side’ is! They just know they don’t want to be here.

They even went as far as to open more portals while the bond between the worlds was at it’s strongest. 

He didn’t like that- but he didn’t send anyone to stop it. 

I feel bad for earth.  
I feel bad for New York must especially.

“Darling don’t look so sour.” His pale lips pull into a soft pout. “I’m bringing you a piece of your home. See?” His voice has a distinct British accent behind it. Because- again- why not. He points to a pile of debris that one might consider at one point having looked something like the empire state building.

The mirror is set up at the edge of the table. An oval piece of glass in a brass frame with clawed feet. It shows a few blocks of dilapidated city. Everything crumbling. 

“Don’t call me that,” I growl, looking at the toppled building dejectedly. “I didn’t even like that building.”

He turns to his ‘guests’. “He’s in a very bad mood today. His doctors say he needs more activity. God only knows why. Surely he’s rested well enough.”

“Of course.” They answer in unison. Because god forbid they disagree. All his guests agree with him. Mainly because of the beheading bit.

On a side note- they are from the same ‘land’ as him and sound completely different. They take on a more American, southern drawl. A deeply, deeply, southern one. I wonder if the people here all sit around and spend hours just deciding to talk differently from each other.

“Right. I think I’ll go have that ‘activity’.” I stand up, but trip over the ... chain. It’s around my right ankle and goes somewhere under the table. A chain. A thick, solid, golden chain.

Why am I chained to the table?? When did he chain me to the table??

A glare is the very least of what he deserves for this. “Why am I chained to your table?” I demand venomously.

“You tried to run away again, sweetness. Thus you’re chained.” His eyes roam down my body as I’m standing there. He grins again. If I were not trying to be angry with him, I’d spare a glance to see if I was clothed. He has a habit of making me go naked. He licks his lips and cocks an eyebrow.

He made it to fifteen minutes without being inappropriate this time. He’s getting braver.

Unable to take the curiosity much longer, a glance down to see that I am in fact wearing clothing- just not a lot of it. It looks like someone would sexualize the idea of enslaved women in some middle eastern country about five hundred years ago.

It’s that bad.

“What am I wearing?” I can’t help but have a little whine in my voice as I try to keep the level of dead seriousness.

He smiles. “It goes with the chain.”

“You said you’d stop dressing me,” I growl.

He holds up a finger, “Darling I said I’d stop dressing you when you were awake. Not altogether.”

“Stop dressing me.” I press.

He grins lewdly. “I could undress you- if you’d prefer.”

I look down at the outfit- which is just a loin cloth like thing, and I feel myself seething again. “Why this?”

“It’s longer than yesterday’s outfit.” He says dismissively. “Remember?”

“This isn’t what I meant by longer.” I tug at the burgundy cloth uselessly.

“It’s not shorts either. You complained yesterday because the shorts were too short. Now it’s- “ 

“It’s a fucking skirt.”

He laughs loudly. “There's some manner of shorts underneath it. See-" he points. "You can see it through the slit in the sides."

The cloth hangs to the floor from low on my hips- it's almost obscene. And that's me saying that. I know I'm in trouble when I think it's obscene.

“Thank you for that.” I feel helplessly aggravated. This isn’t worth making myself black out over. It’s inconvenient and annoying, but it’s not hurting me.

That’s the problem with him. He’s not outright hurting me.

if they were to come and ‘rescue ‘me and ask what he’s done- I wouldn’t know what to tell them. It would sound so stupid.

That makes it by the far the worst sort of torture I’ve ever been in. It’s endless hours of aggravation- like he’s teasing me.

It would be ‘Daken you’ve been gone for weeks and taken to this horrible land. What’s happened to you’ and the best comeback I have is that we had sex and he dressed me in outrageous outfits? I’d be a laughing stock…. again. 

“You’re very welcome.”

“Maybe you could let me look through my own wardrobe next time.”  
He grins. “You’re welcome to darling, but it changes day to day based on what I fancy.”

“What you ‘fancy’?”

“I saw this outfit in a book.” He says happily.

“I doubt it was on a man.” I grouse.

He laughs again. “Like that matters. Take the top off- bam. Unisex.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “It doesn’t work like that.”

“You’re so serious” He smiles that smug annoying smile while pushing his chair back from the table. “Come sit on daddy’s lap.”

As if I needed more of a reason to hate him. “I detest you.”  
"He’s got daddy issues.” His ‘highness’ informs our ‘guests’. “It makes for good bedroom use.”

“How wonderful.” The woman- I think it’s a woman- claps her hands in front of her.

You can’t see their faces- they’re covered in masks much like what you’d wear to a masquerade. Their skin is covered in black and white powder as well- so it’s hard to say what color they are. They wear what everyone wears- slutty Victorian wear.

I should note- everyone but me wears this. I wear as little as possible because HE is a jackass who lives to make my life miserable.  
“Come sit with me.” He repeats. “I gave enough length to the chain.”  
He knocked me out and then chained me to his table. This is how his logic works. 

“Perhaps majesty would like something in the form of entertainment?” He offers again. “No thank you.” I pointedly sit back down in my chair and avoid eye contact.

“Where’s your Hatter, darling? I went through the trouble of procuring you one- what have you done with her?”

I glance off to the side. I'd hoped he'd wait a while before calling her into 'service'.

“We could play with her outfits!” He says happily. “She’s got a nice body. Like you. The two of you... oh we could spend hours playing dress up!”

“Why would we want to?” I ask in annoyance.

He raises an eyebrow. “You’ll change your mind darling. Where is she?” He stands up from the table. “Hatter! Girl? Come here now!”

he waits, standing there like an idiot. When she doesn't come, he turns to look at me.

The longer the minute stretches on the harder he looks at me. “Dear, where’s your darling little Hatter?”

“Maybe she’s busy.” I lie easily.  
He smiles. “Not likely. Where is she dear?”

“I sent her away so she wouldn’t have to play any more of your mindless games.” I snap, hoping to cover up my real motive.

“Away? For playing dress up?” He laughs at the ‘absurdity’ of it. “You’re too harsh my love you’ll-“

“I am not your love!” I interrupt. “Not now, not ever.” My voice is deadly quiet. There’s no way he has a come back to that.

“NO- you are my love.” He corrects, still smiling. “I’m just not yours at the moment.” He winks, leaning over the small gap he’s made between himself and the table grabbing a cookie and sitting back down in his chair. “You’ll come around.” He says with a full mouth.

I almost wish I hadn’t sent Laura away. I wish I had someone I could speak reasonably with.

We have a rare moment of silence as he chews, his guests knowing better than to speak out of turn.

“You wouldn’t send your poor little Hatter to the portal- would you darling?” he asks conversationally after he swallows.

“You said she was mine to do with as I see fit.” I stare down at the plate of sweets. Chocolates, cakes, cookies- it’s all he eats. It’s all any of them eat. Personally, I want some meat. He has them cook some kind of beast every now and then- when my cravings are strong enough and I pester him with it. 

It tastes like an odd combo of pork and beef. Like a bacon cheeseburger would taste if it were all one thing from a singular animal. 

“Akihiro,” he sings. “Where’s your Hatter?” 

Don’t look at him. Don’t look at him.

“You sent your Hatter to the portal.” He’s quiet for a second before letting out a loud crow of a laugh. “How precious!”

His guests join him quickly. You laugh when the King makes a joke. You laugh or you lose your head. They do the same thing when I do something ‘funny’. It’s like having a laugh track from one of those annoying sitcoms Johnny likes to watch. 

“Oh, I’ll be on the lookout for another one for you.”

“She’s coming back,” I growl, feeling the burning need to defend myself.

“Of course she is.” The masked man laughs. “Of course.”

“She is,” I growl again.

“You give your hatter – your servant- my servant,” He stops to laugh. “A free ticket out of Wonderland, and you expect her to come back??”

Well.... “Yes.”

His ‘highness’ stands up and walks the small distance to my chair. “So precious. Didn’t I tell you he was mad?”

“In such a lovely way.” The woman comments.

“I’m not ‘mad’.” I defend. “She’s coming back.”

He puts his hand under my chin, tilting my head towards the ceiling- something he does because he says he 'likes the way my neck tenses'. “He suffers from severe over stimulation.”

“My ass,” I growl.

“I have to be careful with him in bed.” The king continues. “My poor Queen will pass out if I upset him too greatly.”

I pull my head away violently, not liking at all that his hands fall to my shoulders. “I’m not your Queen.”

“You wear my ring.” He sings, lifting my hand to my face and showing me.

Sure enough, I am wearing his ring. A small circle of black inlaid with some kind of red gem in the band. His colors. His metals. His mark.

“Only because I can’t get it off!” One hand and all. I tried using my teeth- but it’s stuck on there.

My vision starts to get a little dotted.... Right. Calm. Stay calm.

“The priest married us. Remember? You and me- the kingdom. My lovely little Queen. We had a party.” He looks to his guests. “You were there.”

“A lovely party, my liege.”  
“I passed out.” I say evenly, “Because you poisoned me.”

“It’s good for your image.” He says with a wink."We like to call them 'naps'. The Queen takes frequent 'naps'. The excitement is just too much for him. It makes me look noble when I carry you off to rest. I think we have a portrait being commissioned of a scene like that." He smiles at me. "I'll show you when it's done. You look just lovely."

I slam my fist on the table in frustration. The sex talk, the clothing, the fucking condescending bullshit- it’s too much for me. “I’m going to gut you!”

“Why,” he gasps, “What have I done to anger my precious Queen? Have I not given you everything I had to offer?”

“Stop calling me that!”

OH. OH. My head. The room spins sideways and I end up resting my head on the table. “Ah, ah, ah.” He chides. “Watch that heart rate. We almost lost you there.”

“Fuck you.” I groan, holding my head in my hand.

He laughs again, “Fuck this” and “Fuck that” ... I’m starting to think we need to improve your vocabulary.”

I’m seething... but the angrier I get- the more this light headiness grows. The more the light headiness grows- the less control I have over the situation.

“Are you getting cross with me dear?” He smiles smugly.

“Yes,” I answer, looking back down to my plate. “I am cross with you. You should allow me to retire for the evening.” When he continues to look at me I add, "Please. Let me retire."

“How formal he gets!” The masked man crows.

“I think you need another visit from your escort.”

That brings everything to a dead stop in my mind. “No. I’m fine.” This is said quickly.

“Oh, but you do.” He says patronizingly. “She needs to reteach you your lessons. You seem to have forgotten how to behave.”

I’ll be damned if that bitch ‘teaches’ me another thing.

Biting my tongue and screaming internally, I offer a smile to his highness. “I’m just tired. I apologize.”

He squeezes my shoulder. “Hopefully not too tired for rounds.... Sixteen and seventeen tonight? I’ve got a few more hours left in me... especially for someone as deliciously tight as you.”

And here we go again.

“Are you ready for me…. hmm? Still lubed up? I didn’t clean you for that reason- you know.” 

“I’m aware,” I growl. It’s uncomfortable. I usually like to shower after sex. 

“We have to make love.” He says to his guests. “I can fuck him a little- but most the time it’s passionate. As it should be between a King and a Queen. His body longs for me. He gets so hard.” He chuckles. “So, so hard. I think he’s getting hard now… just thinking about it.” 

“I can assure you- I’m not,” I growl.   
The guests look bored but smell just a little aroused. Which pisses me off. “You could get off somewhere else,” I growl at them.  
“Sire?” The man asks, sounding stunned.  
“I can smell you.”

His highness chuckles. “Is it such a crime for a man to enjoy hearing of another man’s conquest?”

When I’m that conquest? Yes. He talks about fucking me like he’s a teenager in a locker room. Personal details spread to various peoples at the most inappropriate times. “Be my guest.”

“You look so sour again.” He kisses my cheek. “You’re my prize- my Queen. Enjoy it. People lust after you. When we tour the kingdom- you’ll see. You’ll see and you’ll feel honored.”

“I doubt it.”

“What did you send your hatter looking for?” He continues to rub my shoulder. “You can tell me darling. You know you’re free from my wrath in all things.”

“Friends.” I shrug him off of me. “I sent her looking for friends.”

“Friends? You have friends here- no I don’t think it was friends.” He gets down in my face, his brown eyes locking with mine. “You sent her for the blonde.”

I swallow harshly. “Yes.”  
“You’d break your wedding vows not two weeks in?” a grin breaks over his pale face. “Feisty.” 

“You have no idea,” I growl.  
“And what good does your little hero do you- my dear?”

“He’ll....” I can’t finish my retort. Because it sounds degrading. I need Johnny to fight for me. As is- I can’t handle it. Not when he keeps dosing me with this poison.... I have no clue what form it comes in. I have no clue what to stop ingesting to avoid taking it.

“Champion for you?” The man finishes. “Oh yes. We’ll set him up in a match.... against a creature I think. One of the ones of old.”

“I don’t want him to fight any creatures of ‘old’.” I snap. “I want him to fight you!”

“You’re cross again.” The man clucks his tongue. “You just can’t enjoy your nice dinner party- can you?”

“No, I can’t. I’ve already asked to go back to my room. Please- just let me go.”  
“Is the company not good enough?” He pesters. “I can rid you of them.”

The guests smell distinctly like fear and adrenaline now.

“The company is not the problem,” I growl. “I don’t want to be around you. I told you this is the bedroom. I told you this in the throne room. And I’m telling you this now. Leave me alone. I don’t want to see you. I don’t want to hear you. I don’t want to be in the same room as you. LEAVE ME ALONE!” When my voice rises, my head spins again.

“No,” he drawls. “I think it’s the company.” 

The… 

“Are you not listening to me??” 

Our company seems to be sweating bullets. This is one of those frequent ‘off with their heads’ moments. 

I hate them so much.   
I’m all for death and destruction… but this often? This random? This reckless? It doesn’t make sense. I like for things to make sense. When there’s not logic in it there’s no point in doing it. it’s just killing for the sake of killing. And over the last few years- I’ve come to not be cool with that. 

“It’s the company.” he nods. “What would you have me do with them?” 

“…”

“Guards!” He calls down the hall when I don’t answer. “My Queen doesn’t care much for the company. And as we all know- the Queen get’s what the Queen wants.”

... I think the man just pissed himself.

“Shall it be the ax or the noose my love?” 

“Stop it.” I hiss at him.

Two men in armored suits walk into the dining hall. “Yes, sire?” 

He looks at me. “My Queen?”

I can’t believe he’s doing this. All these people used to his own amusement and this discarded. If he’d done his research on me, he’d know why I have a problem with this.

“Let them go.” I seethe, teeth clenched.

“Give me something in return.” He counters.

The two guests are sweating. They smell foul. I keep my eye on him. “What do you want?”

He smiles, hand on my chin again. “A kiss. A kiss from my beloved Queen.” 

“Fine.”  
“Fine.” He leans over into my space, putting a guiding hand on my jaw.

I intended for this to be chaste and over quickly- and for a second I think he does too. I’m starting to pull away when he wraps his fingers around the back of my head and shoves his tongue down my throat. It’s very unsettling. It’s deep and obscene- he pulls away panting.

“Do forgive me for teasing you so.” He says in that ‘infant’ like talk he likes to utilize in the bedroom. I hate that. I hate that more than anything. “My darling little lover.”

“You said you wouldn’t use that voice anymore.” I pull back violently, almost tempted to head butt him.

He grins. “Claire!” My heart stops as that escort bitch enters. “Take my Queen to his chambers and prepare him for a night in my company. Bathe- dress- all that loveliness.” He pulls a necklace with a key from around his neck and bends down in front of me to remove the chain. "Such lovely feet."

"I'll kick you if you touch them," I warn.  
He chuckles. "I know, I know. You don't like it when I touch your feet."

Because he has pretty much every fetish you could fathom and it's weird having someone drool over your feet.

Thank god we sleep in two separate rooms.

“You said you wouldn’t call her,” I growl as the escort puts her hand on my ruined arm and starts leading me away.

“Did I?” he smiles up at me before standing to his feet. “Good evening my love.” He calls as the woman drags me from my chair and starts pushing me towards the door. "I miss you already!"

"Fuck you."  
He laughs. "Such fire! I shall see you later tonight. Do try to keep your head. We can’t do half of what needs to be done if you lose it.”

He thinks that’s funny. He thinks he’s fucking hilarious. He’s not. But it’s the thought that counts I suppose.


End file.
